Office of Ombudsman declares February 2 election unconstitutional

BANGKOK, 8 March 2014 The Office of the Ombudsman decided on Friday to declare the February 2nd general election unconstitutional, sending the matter to the Constitutional Court to consider annulment of the election results.

The Office of the Ombudsman’s Deputy Secretary-General Raksakecha Chaechai announced that a unanimous decision was reached by the meeting of ombudsmen, in proposing the views expressed in a petition by Kittiphong Kamonthammawong be forwarded to the Constitutional Court.

Kittiphong, a lecturer at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Law, earlier petitioned the Office of the Ombudsman to analyze problems with the February 2nd general election and to request that the Constitutional Court rule on the matter.

Mr. Raksakecha said his office found that there were grounds for five points made in the petition. These include the lack of candidates in 28 constituencies, the issue of fairness in the process of number-drawing by candidates, and the introduction of the Emergency Executive Decree while the election was taking place. He said that these points meant the election, which was held under the respective election bill, was unlawful.